, made his first public appearance on Friday. In a resolute address to his supporters, al-Zubaidi reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to establishing an independent state in Southern Yemen, rejecting any political settlement that undermines the "rights of the southern people."){kind=link}
Following a mysterious disappearance that sparked weeks of regional speculation, Aidarus al-Zubaidi, the leader of the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC), made his first public appearance on Friday. In a resolute address to his supporters, al-Zubaidi reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to establishing an independent state in Southern Yemen, rejecting any political settlement that undermines the “rights of the southern people.”
The emergence of the separatist leader follows a period of heightened friction between the Saudi-backed presidential council and STC forces. Al-Zubaidi vanished in early January after reportedly failing to board a flight to Riyadh for high-level talks. His reappearance coincided with massive protests in Aden, where thousands took to the streets to denounce the Saudi-led coalition’s recent administrative restructuring. Analysts suggest that al-Zubaidi’s bold rhetoric may further strain the fragile alliance between Saudi Arabia and the UAE as they support competing factions within the war-torn nation.